"Bhaiya, please!" Lakshmana begged, folding his hands in front of Rama who absolutely refused to meet his eyes. He grabbed Rama's hands and held them tightly, "I can't live without you."
Rama shut his eyes in a desperate attempt to restrain the tears which were threatening to spill. Rama couldn't live without Lakshmana too. He wanted to take his brother with him, but knew that it was selfish. His brother was needed in the castle, for his wife, for his mothers, for himself.
"Bhaiya-"
"No, Lakshman." Rama managed to finally croak out, and forced himself to meet his brother's eyes. He immediately regretted his action as-well, because the moment he saw his brother's tear streaked face, his own tears flowed. "You need to stay home."
Lakshmana wasn't going to back down though. "You are my home, bhaiya! You're my whole universe."
"Lakshman, no." the sentence, which was meant to sound like an order, ending up sounding like a request.
"Then I'll kill myself." It took Rama a few moments to process that sentence, before a fear gripped his heart. He pulled his brother towards himself, and held him tightly, as if to make sure his Lakshmana aws still with him.
"Do NOT say that," he sobbed, releasing the hug and cupping his brother's face, "please Lakhan, don't say that!"
"Then allow me to accompany you," he pleaded, dropping down to Rama feet, "I would much rather die than not be with you."
***
"Bhaiya?" Lakshmana ran towards his brother, worried about why there were tears in his brother's eyes. "What's wrong?" Without saying anything, Rama stood up and hugged Lakshmana. Though confused, the latter happily complied.
"I don't know what I would have done without you, Lakshman." he softly chuckled after letting go of the hug.
"What are you say-" before he could complete his question, they heard the sound of a marching army, "bhaiya, I hear something, like an army. Bhaiya, may I please check who they are?" Ram nodded, and Lakshman immediately climbed up a tree, and the sight he saw discusted him.
"Who is it Lakshman?" Rama asked, seeing how furious his brother looked, "Lakshman-" his brother grabbed his bow and ran past him.
**
"Lakshman?" Bharata asked, smiling, something he hadn't done for quite some time.
"GO BACK 'MAHARAJ'!" he yelled, making Bharata's smile drop instantly,
"Maharaj..? Lakshman, I-"
"I don't care about your lies, go back to Ayodhya! Don't you dare come close to my brother!"
"Lakshman, what are you saying?" Shatrughana asked, walking in front of Bharata, and facing his twin.
"You're with this man, Shatru?"
"This man- this man is your brother Lakshman!" he yelled back, "Have you lose your mind?"
"He is NOT my brother, and he never will be!" he yelled, taking aim, ready to attack Bharata at any moment. "YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF EVERYTHING!"
Bharata felt like his soul was being separated from his body. He looked at Lakshman, tears clouding his sight. "Then kill me."
Bharata looked at Lakshmana with great difficulty, "Kill me Lakshman, I know, I'm the cause of all of this, but let me see Ram bhaiya one last time."
Lakshmana felt his hands shaking, but he quickly steadied them. "Y-you are a traitor.." he whispered bitterly. Shatrughana quickly held Bharata who collapsed on the spot. "Bhaiy- what have I done!"
"I am a traitor.. I don't deserve to live.." Bharata kept whispering to himself, and Lakshmana quickly dropped down towards his elder brother.
"Bhaiya, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was saying-" he cried, hugging Bharata tightly. After a few moments, both of them composed themselves. "Bhaiya , please forgive me!"
"No, Lakshman, please forgive me, I'm the reason you had-"
"Bharat," Rama cried, running towards his brother and hugging him tightly. "I've missed you so much!"
"Shatrughana!" he mumbled while hugging his youngest brother.
"Bhaiya.." Bharata sobbed, and dropped to Rama's feet, "please forgive me.."
"Forgive you.. for what?"
"I'm the reason you had to go on exile. I'm the reason for all your troubles.."
"Don't be stupid, Bharat, stop saying all this nonsense!" he sighed, and cupped Bharata's face, "Now tell me, is there a reason why all you came here?"
"Bhaiya.. I-"
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter..
I know it's filled with sadness, but I didn't know where else to start the story without making in boring. :)
